Electric mining apparatus



H. C- BERKEY.-

ELECTRIC MINING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED mm: 18, 1921.

Patented Feb. 21, 1922.

tjiaiiif.

HARVEY BERKEY, 0F OIJAREIVLONT, NEW HAMPSHIRE, essrsnon 'ro semenMACHINERY COMIANY, A CORPORATION. or MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC MINING nrrnnnrus.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY C. BERKEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Claremont, in the county of Sullivan and tate of NewHampshire, have invented cer- I tain new and useful Improvements inElectric lvlining Apparatus, of which the fol lowin is a full clear andexact s ecification.

V paratus. w

It has for its object to provide an improved means for protecting theoperator of an electric mining machine or kerf cutter from shocksencountered when through grounding or the like, the machine frame iscl'iarged. Another object of my invention is to provide improved meanswhereby the mining machine is grounded at a point removed from theoperator in such a manner as to enhance the safety of the latter. Theseand other objects and advantages of my improved construction willhereinafter more fully appear.

in the accompanying drawings one embodiment of my invention illustratingthe same as applied to a mining machine of the room and pillar type hasbeen shown for purposes of illustration, the drawings showingdiagrammatically a mining machine in a room Or the like with its truckremaining upon the mine track and the machine removed :t'rom the truckand upon the mine bottom. 1

In this illustrative construction I have shown a mechanism of standardconstruction including a machine 1 and a transport truck thereforadapted to be propelled thereby in a usual manner, the machine hereinbeing of the direct current type and having thereon a usual motorincluding an armature 3 and field windings t'with a resistancecontroller 5 connected in the circuit. As shown, the motor is suppliedwith current through conductors 6 and 7 united into a cable 8 which inturn again branches at its rear end into the component conductors 6 and7 which are in turn connected through suitable connector plugs to asuitable cable reel 9 mounted on a part transportable with the truck,herein on the rear end of the truck, and connected to conductors 10 and11 of which the conductor 10 is connected to the main trolley wire 12 inthe entry through a suitable clip 13 while the conductor 11 is connectedto one of the usual metallic main line mine rails 14 by aground clip 15.Y

In the use of such a standard construe I 1 tion when, through groundingor the like; current is transmitted tothe frame of the mining machine 1,the current-may, if the;

pperator handling the controls is standing 1n a wet spot, pass from themachine frame through his body to ground, resulting in serious injuriesto the operator. Thesame result may occur when'the machine happens to beresting upon wood or the like and the Specification of Letters Fatenti-Pab3ufigd1lgb. 21, 1522. i Application filed me 18, 1921lSeria1No.478,506. "l r r i 3 operator is standing upon the bottom. "To

meet this situation,"I have provided a'supward end to the machine frameand extendplemental'conductorl6 attached at its fora mg rearward throughthe cable 8 to the truck, to the metallie frame of which its rear end isconnected at 17; Thus, it'will be noted that the machine frame. isalways connected through the conductor 16 to ground through the truckwheelsand the room track rails in such a manner that irre-, spective ofcontact of the operator with the machine, all danger of injury to theoperator is prevented. While I have in this application specifie oallydescribed one embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, itwill be understood that this form of the same has been chosen forpurposes of illustration and that the invention may be modified andemparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

bodied in various other formswithout delVhat I claim as new and desireto secure I by Letters Patent is 1'. In a mining apparatus, an electricmin ing machine disposable on the mine bottom, means for supplyingcurrent flow there through and to ground at. a distant point from saidmachinewhen the latter is on the bottom, and supplemental meansconnected to the machine frame and to ground at a. distant point forremoving a charge from said frame.

2. In a mining apparatus, an electric mining machine disposable on themine bottom, means for supplying current flow through said machine whenon the bottom including a reel supported on a trackway and supply andground return conductors extending through said reel, and supplementalcharge removing means connected to the machine frame-and to ground at adistant point from said machine.

3. In a mining'apparatus, a mining machine disposable on a mine bottom,means for supplying current flow therethrough when on the bottomcomprising a reel supported on a trackway and a cable con1pris- 111g,supply and ground return conductors extending betweensaid machine andsaid reel, and supplemental means operative to removea charge from themachine frame and included-in said cable.

i. In a mining apparatus, an electric mining machine disposable on themine bottom, a transport truck therefor, current supply means for saidmachine: including a reel transportable with said truck and a cablecomprising supply. and ground return con 7 d ucto-rs, extendingbetweensaid machine and saidreel, and supplemental means, included in saidcablefor removinga chargefrom the machine frame when the latter is onthe bottom, y

5. In a. mining apparatus, a traclrway, a transport truck, an electrickerf cutter transported onsaid truck and disposable on the mine bottom,a reel transportable with said truck, current supply and ground returnmeans for said cutter comprising supply and ground return conductorsextending through said reel, and supplemental means connected to thecutterv frame for removing a charge from said frame when the latter ison the bottom and grounding said frame on said trackway.

6. In a mining-apparatus, a trac-kway extending along-an entry and intoa room, a

transport truck, an electric kerf cutter trans,

ported over said trackway on said truck and disposable on the minebottom, a reel transportable with said truck, current flow supply meansconnected to a source of current supply in the main entry and. extendingthrough said reel andsaid kerf cutter when the latter is on the bottomand back through said reel to a ground return on said trackway in themain entry, and means for grounding the kerf cutter frame on thetrackway when said frame is disposed on the mine bottom in a room. 7

7. In a mining apparatus, a trackway, a transport truck, an electrickerf cutter transported thereon over said trac-kwa-y and dis posable onthe mine bottom, a reel, transportable with said: truck; current, flowsupply-endgrouncl return means between said reel and said kerf cutterwhen the latter is on the bottom including conductors extending throughsaid reel, and a supplemental ground connection between the ke'rf cutterframe and a part of said truck operative when said cutter is on thebottom to remove a charge from its frame. I

In testimony whereof I a'liix my signature.

HARVEY c. 'BERKEY.

